Mail-box.



s. w. BUCKWAUER.

MAIL B0X;`

Prufmon man nov. aqels.

1 ,209,550. Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.x,

S. W. BUCKW'ALTER MAIL s-o'x.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20,l9t5.`

Patented Dee.19,1916.

2 'SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LTL 9 36 @fw/[messes orriou.

SAMUEL W. BUCKWALTER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

MAIL-BOX.

Application led November 20, 1915.

To all Lv/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. BUCK- WLTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State ofl Ohio, have inventedv new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification. y

The present invention relates to improvements in depositing and collecting receptacles and-has relation more particularly to mail boxes.

`The invention contemplates among other features, the provision of a mail box so constructed and arranged whereby the mail deposited 'therein will be prevented from being marred or damaged under the severe weather conditions to which mail boxes are subjected, by providing the box with a selfclosing door.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a mail box of the above stated character wherein a portion of the provide a beading against which the door 'abuts when in a closed position, and materially assisting in rendering the box moisture proof. t yWith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts which will hereinafter be more fully set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the door in apartially open position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 ir a detail perspective of a portion of thedoor closing means; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,l 5 denotes the mail box which in this particular instance is constructed of sheet metal or the like material, andcomprises straight parallel side walls 6 and 7 and an upwardly arched top wall 8, Aconstituting the body portion of the box and formed from a single strip of vsheet metal. The straight parallel side walls 6 and 7 and the arched top wall 8 of the box at the front edge thereof are struck or stamped inwardly as at 9 to provide a continuous beading or abutment 10, the purpose of which will be hereinafter clearly set forth.' Thebox is Specification of Letters Patent.

' edges tom of the box.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916. Serial No. 62,605.

further formed with a bottom wall 11 oonnected to 'the lowermost inner transverse edges of the side walls 6 and 7, by means of fastenings in the form of rivets and the like 12, while the box is closed in its rcarmost portion by means o f the rear wall 13.

The extreme lower front edge of the side `walls and the downturned iianges 14 of the bottom 11, are formed with respective journal openings 15 andl. These respective journal openings also register with a still further pair of journal openings 17 formed in the integrally bent and rearwardly extending lugs 18 of the closure 19. A pintle rod 20 passes through the registering open-` ings 15, 16 and 17, for hingedly mounting the closure 19 between the side walls 6 and 7 for a vertical swinging movement.

4The closure 19 is of a configuration to conform to the contour of the body portion of the box and has its straight oppositely disposed vertical edges, and upwardly arched top edge bent forwardly and angularly to provide'the cover with a sealing iiange21. The flange 21 of the cover yis primarily adapted to snugly engage with the inner contour of the laterally extending shield 22 formed contiguous with the front and top edge of the body portion of the box when the cover is in closed position and through the medium of the beading 10 prevents the entrance of rain, snow and the like in the box and preserving the mail matter deposited therein.

The closure 19 is adapted to automatically close and prevent any accidental outward swinging movement by means of a door closing device 25, which in this particular instance comprises a substantially U-shaped bar 26 having its straight horizontal connecting portion riveted transversely of the closure 19 at a point adjacent the bottom transverse' edge thereof and in a plane with the inner face of the bottom wall 11. |The limbs 27 of the U-shaped bar 26 are curved nate in rear of the closure and below the bot- The limbs 27 are terminally l provided with angular ends 2S, the vertical portion 29 thereof adapted to snuglyiit within the groove 30 formed on the inner faces of a pair of circular weights 31, while the horizontal portions of the angular ends 28 eX- tend through the central openings V32 of the weights and are upset Jor permanently securing the weights on the limbs 27 and preventing any accidental rotary movement thereof. It will, of course, be understood that through the medium of these weights the door is swung automatically to a closed position and against the beading 10, whereby b v contact with the beading IO, inward swinging movement of the door is limited.

Riveted to the inner face of the lowernost transverse odge of the cover is a rearwardly angularly extending portion 33 which will permit of the door being manipulated to an open position, and when the door is moved to a complete open position the member 33 will engage with the bottom wall of the box and limit the outward swinging movement ot the cover. The cover 19 is provided with the usual slot 3l for the insertion of mail matter in the box and disposed slightly below the slot is a knob 35, the latter being also utilized as a means for opening the cover I9.

In order that the door may be prevented from being opened by any undesirable persons, I provide a locking means which in this particular instance constitutes a bar 36 riveted to the inner face ot the arched top wall .Q by means ot fasteners 37 at a point in adjacent relation with the continuous beading l and the bar is formed with an inwardly and downwardly inclined portion 3S to clear the beading 10 and terminating in a straight extension 39. The straight extension 3.) of the locking bar is adapted to protrude through a slot 40 formed in the cover I9 and connected with the aperture 41 ot the extension is the usual lock 42.

li rom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

the advantages of construction and of the method oi operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and while I have dcscribcd the principles of operation of the device together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to ha ve it understood that the device shown is merely illustrativo and that such advantages may be made when desired as arc within the scope of the claims appended thereto.

I claim:

I. In combination, a mail box comprising side and top walls instruck to provide a conlinuous beading, a closure for said box, and means mounted on the closure for swinging the latter into engagement with the beading and rendering the box moisture proof.

2. In combination, a mail box embodying side and top walls instruck to provide a continuous beading, a closure for said box, and means mounted on the closure or automatically swinging the latter into engagement with the beading and rendering-the box moisture proof.

3. In combination, a mail box embodying side andtop walls, a closure for said box, means for hingedly connecting the closure to said box for a vertical swinging movethe slot of the cover for locking the closure.

5. In a' device of the class described, a. mail box, a closure therefor, and means for swinging the closure into closed position, said means embodying a substantially U- shaped bar mounted upon and transversely of said closure, and grooved weights mounted on the terminals of the limbs of said bar the limbs of the bar engaging the grooves of the wedges and preventing any accidental rotation of the latter with respect to said limbs. p

G. In combination, a mail box embodying side and top walls, a closure for said box, means for pivotally connecting the ,closure between the yside walls of the box for a vertical swinging movement, means mounted transversely of the closure for automatically swinging the latter to a closed position, means formed integral with the top and side walls of the box for limiting the inward swinging movementv of said closure, and means carried by the closure for limiting the outward swinging movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL W. BUCKWALTER. lVitncsses IVILLIAM LEONARD, Mrnon Iownns. 

